Mission accomplished for MDL PVLS

Maritime Developments innovative portable vertical lay system (PVLS) has successfully completed its first mission.

Working as part of a complete MDL flex-lay spread, the PVLS carried out the installation of more than 15km of flexible product in a major North Sea oilfield.

The 75-tonne over-side system was run with MDL's 50-tonne 4-track tensioner, benefitting from the patented solution’s two-track opening when in vertical mode.

Thanks to the vertical orientation of the PVLS tower, and a range of integrated systems within its footprint, the operator was able to carry more product and buoyancy aids on board the vessel, reducing the amount of port calls required for reloading.

A third-generation multiple reel drive system (RDS) - also part of the MDL range of Flexlay equipment - handled the flexible risers spooled onto reels, which were securely fastened at all times in their individual cradles built into the RDS tracks.

Once the pipelay operations concluded, the PVLS was demobilised off the vessel in a 48-hour operation. It was then partly dismantled at the quayside and road-transported to a storage location, where it will await its next mission in early 2016.

The 50-tonne tensioner and the 350-tonne RDS have returned to the MDL Peterhead facility.

“The successful conclusion to this project has proven MDL’s ingenuity in delivering cost-saving solutions that make a true difference to offshore operations,” said George Mackintosh, MDL operations director.

“Integration of individual elements into a single package, as well as a range of innovative features characterising the MDL design, allowed us to deliver a system that was quicker to mobilise and safer to handle.

“The operator also complimented the professionalism and efficiency demonstrated by our personnel, who operated the equipment and supported the vessel team throughout the project from day one.”